By Byron Richmond
In the last Thursday Night Football game of the year, it was MVP leading candidate LaMar Jackson going up against another quarterback taken in last year’s draft, Sam Darnold.
This game started out competitively, with the Jets trailing by only 6 after the game’s first twenty minutes plus minutes. However, a Baltimore double strike in the end zone sealed what would wind up being another Ravens’ victory, with a final score of 42-21.
Jackson once again proved to those who doubt the stability of a primary run-option quarterback, further silencing those who thought he’d project better as a receiver once he turned pro.
His spectacular performance, again on both ends of the ball, saw for the former Louisville-product throw for 212 and 5 touchdowns to five different receivers, while also amassing a team-leading 86 yards rushing.
This, however, wasn’t the best moment of the night, as he broke Michael Vick’s single-season rushing yards record for a quarterback, a mark he set during the since 2006 season.
Sam Darnold, while not seeing the ghosts that haunted him during the Monday Massacre against the division-rival Patriots earlier in the season, untimely amassed most of his yards long after the Ravens had already blown the game wide open, throwing for 218 yards with 2 touchdowns and an interception.
Jamison Crowder was Darnold’s best option of the night, as the former Blue Devil caught 6 balls for 90 yards and 2 touchdowns.
These numbers, however, do not reflect how the game turned out given Baltimore’s defense exuding complete dominance in the wake of an injury-plagued offensive line of the Jets as Sam Darnold was, to quote British heavy metal group, Iron Maiden, running for the hills.
With this win, Baltimore’s 10th in a row, they now enter week 15 12-2 with the NFC North secured for the second straight year.
To merely refer to them as one of the powerhouse teams in the AFC would be underselling them at this point, and with that dominating performance on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively, there is enough reason to believe they’re the consensus favorite to dethrone New England and represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
I mean, are you surprised the team will have a record 12 AFC representatives for this years’ Pro Bowl?
